Part 1: Mosul, Iraq and ISIS, Sunni, Shiite

It's been awhile since I last wrote about Mosul/Iraq. I was curious what might come across the news in terms of Sunni and Shiite relations (Mosul is largely Sunni while Baghdad is Shiite). I didn't necessarily find a lot in a quick sweep of headlines.

However, I did find this one article via Foreign Policy that deals with the ISIS, Sunni and Shiite situation. The analysis deals with the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF). The PMF is a group of Shiite militias that did a lot of the fighting to free Mosul from ISIS. They also have some Iranian ties.

Today, it is in charge of security in some of the towns the Islamic State used to command, and it constitutes a major political force in the country. In the most recent national election, for example, a conglomeration of PMF groups called the Fatah Alliance won 48 seats in the 329-seat Iraqi parliament.



What does this have to do with Mosul? Well, here's the interesting part of the story:

Now, in addition to young Shiites, it is also bringing in ex-Islamic State members.

ISIS is Sunni. So currently, the PMF is allowing ex-ISIS members (Sunni) into their ranks. It isn't just low level ISIS militants.

According to sources in the Asayish, the Kurdish internal security force, one such recruit is Mutashar al-Turki, who led the battle against the Peshmerga in the southern part of Jalaula between June and August of 2014. 

The analysis goes into various reasons why ex-ISIS and the PMF would find common ground. One thing that stood out to me was the argument about corruption -- that is, ex-ISIS paying PMF leaders some money.

It isn't like Mosul was treated well by ISIS. I would just have to think that seeing ex-ISIS as part of the PMF has to be a slap in the face to the residents of Mosul and surrounding towns. And if you suspect that this is being driven by corruption, it has to be even more upsetting.

I suspect this union between PMF and ex-ISIS would be upsetting to the Kurds, as well. That last quote caught up eye. An ex-ISIS member of the PMF is Mutashar al-Turki who led a battle against the Peshmerga. Peshmerga are the Kurds. I'm thinking the Kurds won't like that.

As a side topic. In Libya, the government of Tripoli named a new economy and industry minister named Ali Abdulaziz Issawi (spelling varies). Eastern Libya immediately re-opened an investigation into the death of a military leader named Abdel Fattah Younes in 2011. The prime suspect is Issawi. I bring this up as I think the Kurds might have a similar reaction.